Hood latch



Dec. 18, 1928.

C. B. GILMORE HOOD LATCH s Sheet s-Sheet 1 m 3 mm m a m 5 fi 4C B 6 7 C 5 i 2 Mag/m5 p T W A z |i\ 1 mm Amp 5 3 6 E Fr C a 2 7 I 3 4 M m 3 x/ w. a

Dec. 18, 1928. 1,695,544

c. B. GILMORE noon LATCH I Filed u .'15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 [Rue/R2507" Ukaj/Zji B. GZ'ZWZOTYS Attornggfi l atented Dec. 18,

UNITED stratus earsnr ortion.

CHAR-LES B. GILMORE, OF CHICAGO, ILLEHGIS, ASSIGEOR T0 CHICAGO FORGING- 88 MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINQIS, A COEEGRATION 0F IIIIJILENOIS.v 1

H001) LAToI-L' Application filed August 15, 1927. Serial N0.,212,951.-

My invention relates to a fastening device, and particularly to a device intended for use as an'automobile hood latch. @ne object of the invention is to provide device which will be used as a hood latch andwhich, While serving to hold the hood down and closed,

will also force the hood lnwardly against its 1 illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front of my hood latch, as applied to an automobile hood; 1 I

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig.

Figure 3 is a top in section;

Figure4 is a section along the line 1 of Fig. 2; c

Figure 5 is a detailed section of a variant form of base member; V

Figure 6 is a view, similar to Fig.2, of'a variant form of latch tube;

plan view with the hood Figure 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, with;

the latch released from the hood 5 v V Figure 8 illustrates the latch of. Figs. 6

V and 7 when ii -normal withdrawn position; F1 ure V9 is a} section on the line 9+9 of 7 I i V Flgure 10 lllustrates a variant form of tube bottom Figure 11 illustrates the latch of Fig. 10 rotated to a different position;

Figures 12 and 18illustrate afurthe'r Va riant form of latch'tube, and V v Figure 14 isa section on the line 1 i14; of

Fig. 12.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings. A is a portion of an automobile frame to which may be secu red an upstanding rib or abutment member A; against which abuts the lower edge B of the hoodB when the hood is closed. Fastened to the hood B is a member generally designated as B which the specification and clalms.

elevation of one form includes a downwardly and outwardlyinchned cam portion 1B upwardly and out-' wardly inclined prongs B45 separated, for ex- 'ample,'by the notch B a central portion B which is secured to thehood Bpand a downwardly and inwardly turned bottom portlon B B are any suitable securing members.

- C is any suitable shaft or pin,terminating v at the bottom in the squared beveled head C C generally indicates a base member having the frame engaging securing portions C through which may pass any suitable securing members C andthe intermediateraised portion formed by the upwardly and inwardly inclined top member G and the generally vertical side walls C". C is a concave generally spherical flange surrounding the aperture C through which passes the pin C, I

The latch body proper consistsiofthe cylindrical member D,herein;shown as rolled from a single blank and with a single axial seam D About the'bottom of the cylinder are a plurality ofears D adapted tobe inwardly which is loose on the shaft C. D is a washer secured to theiend of thepin C andDindicates a coil spring compressed between the washer D and the washer D The tendency cylinit is a latch member including axcentral pork turned toengage and secure the washer D tion E overlying the'plug E and thecylinder D, a handle member E hereinshown as integral with it, and a forwardly projecting portion E with the cross-piece E The portion E is adapted to penetrate the notch B between the prongs B, and the cross-piece E serves to prevent forward movement of the latch portion away from the hood, once the latch is in engagement with said prongs. The latch portion may be held in position in relation to theplug E and the cylinder D by being riveted to said plug E. A rivet E is indicated, which may be separate from the plug and formed to penetrate it, or which may be an upwardly projectingintegral porti on of. the Plug? upset to lock the latch in position.

Gr generally indicates a cam member having the axial portion G wrapped about the upper edge of the cylinder G indicates a pin or rivet passing through said collar portion and an upper portion of the tube and also passing through the plug E, thus holding the entire assembly firmly together. Gr indicates an outwardly projecting nose member with the inclined face Gr opposed to the cam surface 13. The nose portion is continued by an inwardly turned portion G and a lip G adapted to rest against the face of the cylinder D. It may be welded or otherwise secured thereto but in the form of latch herein shown this is unnecessary and the single securing rivet Gr is suflicient.

Referring to Figure 7, the latch is substantially identical with that shown in Figure 2, but the tube 1), instead of being provided with the ears D is penetrated by a pair of opposed horizontal apertures or slots H, the material of the tube being inwardly crimped therebeneath, as at H, in order to engage the washer D Note further, with reference to Figures 7 and 8, that when the latch is in its withdrawn position, as shown in Figure 8, thehead of the pin C is still out of engagement with the bottom of the plug E( This proportion of parts is preferred, since it insures that the spring I) will draw the latch downwardly against the abutment C thus holding it in withdrawn position.

Referring to the form of Figures 10 and 11, the bottom of the tube, instead of terminating in a single plane, as shown in Figures 7 and following, is beveled to lie in two inclined planes, as at I, P. The purpose of this disposition will be clear from Figure 11, which illustrates the application of one of my latches to a relatively narrow space between the hood and between a guard or fender I. In the particular form shown, the planes I and I are so disposed as topermit or necessitate the rotation of thelatch in such position as will bring the handle into parallelism with the face of the fender I Referring to Figures 12, 13 and 14, the lower end of the tube is apertured, as at H, but instead of being inwardly ,bent or crimped in the manner shown in Figure 7 the inward bending H terminates short of the bottom of the tube, the tube bottom remaining cylindrical. in cross-section. Also, in the particular form of Figures 12, 13 and 14, the bottom of the tube terminates in a single plane, but this plane, instead of being at right angles to the axis of the tube, as

shown in Figures 7 and following, is inclined out of such perpendicularity, as at I to cause the latch to project outwardly away from the hood at a greater angle or to permit the use of an abutment C having a lesser inclination in relation to the horizontal.

The form of Figure 5 illustrates a base or abutment which may be employed with the various forms of latch herein shown, and which is useful as providing a higher effective abutment. In the form shown, ears C C project upwardly from the upwardly and inwardly inclined top member G. hen such form of abutment is used, it is the ears (1 which engage the bottom of the tube rather than the member C itself.

It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practical and operath device, nevertheless many changes might be made in the size, shape, number and disp tion of parts without departing from spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammal"c, rather than as limiting me to my spe showin The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

lVhen the closure or hood is lowered into position with its lower edge abutting againstthe exterior of the flange .lr the operator may lift the latch, against the pressure of the spring 1) and engage the cross piece or T E with the hooks or prongs B. \Vhen. the hendle is then released the spring draws the latch downwardly along the pin C. The r' sult is to oppose the cam nose G to the out rdly inclined cam face 13. The engagement of the T with the prongs B holds the latch against outward movenfient away from the hood and the downward movement of the latch causes an inward movement of the hood B in response to the relative movement of the opposed inclined cam surfaces 13 and G As a result the hood B is not only drawn downwardly toward the base A, but is also thrust inwardly against the flange A and any rattling is prevented.

As shown in the drawings the fit of the stem C in the aperture C is suiliciently loose to permit play or gyration of the stem. Thus the latch can conform itself to a certain degree of longitudinal movement of the hood.

Referring to Figures 6, 7 and 8, it will be apparent that when the latch is released the spring will draw the latch downwardly against the abutment C shorter than the distance between thelower edge of the tubeand the bottom of the plug, the spring will draw the tube into the position shown in Figure 8, holding it firmly in position, withdrawn from the hood. Obviously, the angular position can be varied by varying the angle of the member C or by varying the angle of the bottom of the tube, as shown in the form of Figures 1.2, 13 and 14.

Referring to Figures 10 and 11, the tilt of the latch away from the hood may be increased by giving it a one-quarter revolution from the engageable position. This result obtained. by bevelin g the bottom of the tube or latch body to provide a greater amount of tilt away from the hood. In some cases, where the fender of an autotoe The pin being ill) in relation to each other, said planes being inclined to the horizontal when the latch 1s in vertical position.

9. In a hood latch, a latch body comprising a tube, a handle at the upper end of said tube, a stem on which said tube is slidably mounted, yielding means tending normally to move said tube downwardly along said stem, including a spring compressed between said stem and the bottom of said tube, a washer positioned adjacent the bottom of said tube, against which said spring is adapted to abut, the sides of said tube being horizontally slotted beneath the normal position oi said washer, the walls of the tube being inwardly compressed beneath said slots.

10. A closure latch, and a support therefor, and means for varying the angle of the latch in relation to the closure when the latch is at rest in disengaged position, and means for holding said latch outwardly inclined away from the closure when disengaged.

11. A closure latch comprising in part a support, a latch body swiveled upon said support, and means for varying the angle of said latch in relation to said closure when at rest in disengaged position, together with means for holding said latch outwardly inclined away from the position of the closure when the latch is released.

12. A closure latch comprising in part a support, a latch body swiveled upon said support, and means for varying the angle of said latch in relation to said closure when at rest in disengaged position, together with means for holding said latch outwardly inclined away from the position of the closure when the latch is released, said varying means including a plurality of inclined beveled faces at the bottom of the latch body.

13. In a closure latch, a hollow latch body, a pin upon which said body is'mounted, a guide member for said pin, and retaining means for said guide member, formed in the wall of said hollow body intermediate its ends.

lei. As a new article of manufacture, a hol low body, a spring positioned in said body, and a retainer for said spring, the wall of said body being inwardly deflected intermediate its ends to limit the movement oi said retainer.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 10th day of August,

CHARLES B. GILMORE. 

